The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-01-08

When one reads of the great number
Of people who come to their deaths each
year in India from serpents and wild
animals and crocodiles, the figures can
hardly be credited by one who has not
visited that country. India is the par
adise of ali that is savage, revcngeful,
venemous and sly, beginning with the
thug and ending with the flea. The
climate and topography of the country
favor the wild beast more than man.
1t is the natural home of every species
of reptilc-of many species of car
nivOra-of almost every poisonous in
sect which can be named. The offer of
large rewards for the killing of poison
Gus serpents has taken tens of thous-
ands of dollars from the Golfers of the
Government without decreasing the
number of snake bites by one. The
tiger, leopard, iaguar, panther and
other fierce creatures have been thinned
off by the natural settling of the various
provinces, but one has only to 90 a few
miles from the railroad lines TO find
them to-day us they were found twenty
years ago. 1t will forever be combat
between man and beast in that country,
with the odds in favor of the beast.
In making my way from Penjab to
Lahore, in the days before the railroad,
having the company of two American
sportsmGn and British officer, was
bitten on the check by some poisonous
insect which dashed at me as we were
riding in the shade. 1t struck me like
q fash, and was off before | could raise
my hand, Being new to the country
supposed it to be some insect common
to the woods, but it was scarcely three
minutes before l began to suffer great
pain, and in five / had to dismount.
The natives were agreed that the bite
came from Jungle hornet, and that |
would be u sufferer for some days.
Fortunately for me, we were close to
the outskirts of II village called Halla-
rad, and when could no longer stand
on my feet, which was about seven
INMATES after being bitten, l was car
ried into the village and a native doc.
tor set 10 work on me. | was then
raving with pain, and my face was
swellei until | could not see. RI wa,
four days before the pain left me- and
ten before I had recovered sufficient
strength Ga ride. In this Interval
occurred the adventure | set out to re.
late.
On the fifth or sixth day after my
misfortune, u hammock was slung fol
me out doors under tree, and native
sat at its roots to administer to my
wants. He held the end of my ham
mock cord ia his hand, and once in
while gave it pull and kept me slowl,
swinging. The village was scatter
ing one, containing about 200 natives
and from my elevated position had
pretty good view around me. Their
was IL Jungle about forty rods away
while the ground between was coyere,
with rank grass and weeds at leas
knee high In front of the hut to tn
left of my treo sat young woman VIII
was making some repairs on carmen
belonging to her father. On this morn
inc most Of the men in the village ha4
gone off on hunt, and every thin
was as quiet as a Sunday morning in
New England hamlet.
The balmy air and the motion of tn
hammock would have induced slee
had not slept thirteen hours out of tn
preceding twonty-four. l was quie
but wakeful. In the course of half a
hour the hammock ceased to NOV,
aud saw that the servant below We
fast asleep. Almost at the same mt
ment l caught q flash of something
the edge of the jungle. and then l NJ
ticed q movement of the grass. l W;
sportsman enough to comprehend thu
some animal or reptile was moving 4
wsr,l me. hut / had no enthusiaSm-n,